The names of Celia Rivenbark’s books give you an idea of what to expect when you hear her speak to an audience. It’s hard to escape the in-your-face Southern nature of “Bless Your Heart, Tramp”, “We’re Just Like You, Only Prettier”, “Stop Dressing Your Six Year Old Like a Skank,” “Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits,” “You Can’t Drink All Day If You Don’t Start in the Morning” and “You Don’t Sweat Much for a Fat Girl.”
Celia’s take on humor is the result of growing up in rural Eastern North Carolina listening to, and absorbing, stories, jokes and tall tales at the country store. Her humor blends this country tradition with her love of all things pop culture for a unique take on the ever-changing South.
A newspaper reporter since age 19, Celia started writing a weekly humor column for the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group in 1993. The column, “From the Belle Tower” is currently syndicated by McClatchey-Tribune News Services and appears in newspapers across the country.
Celia lives in Wilmington, N.C., with her husband and daughter.
Caroline (Cal) Shepard is the State Librarian of North Carolina. Formerly she was Program Director of Consulting Services and Regional Director for the Southeast at LYRASIS. From 1999 to 2006, she managed the Educational Services program at SOLINET. Prior to joining SOLINET, Cal served as Chief of Library Development at the State Library of North Carolina. Previous experience includes positions at the Forsyth County Public Library in Winston-Salem and the Nantahala Regional Library in Murphy, North Carolina.
